An Easter to Remember Always
by Neon-Fantasy
Summary: Sequel to 'An Easter to Remember' They've shared their first kiss but what happens now? Misunderstandings start to come between them which may not only ruin their Easter but their friendship as well. Sometimes words speak more than actions. /Ion x Esther/
1. Chapter 1

**An Easter to Remember Always**

Disclaimer: The characters featured in this story from Trinity Blood do not belong to me. This is the sequel to 'An Easter to Remember' which continues on from where it left off. This is an Ion x Esther story. Hope you enjoy!

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Part1

"This really isn't necessary," Ion responded while he felt Esther place a warm cloth against his back, "I told you I'm fine." Esther had started cleaning his back of any dry blood and dirt which had stuck to his back after the fall in the forest. Upon examination, Ion's back showed nothing but a couple of scratches which was a relief. Earlier when Ion had lifted himself from the ground, Esther went into a panic when she saw the long deep gashes over his back. Blood was spilling out of the wounds which ran down his back and stained his top. Ion couldn't even feel the gashes so when Esther started worrying about them, he told her he'd be fine but she didn't believe him. It's why she had dragged him back to the festival grounds and brought him inside her private tent so she could treat him.

"I'm sorry about this, I know you said you would be fine but I just want to be sure," Esther said as she removed the cloth from his back and reached for a towel to dry him off. Even though he could heal at a rapid rate, the fact that he got hurt because of her still remained. Esther felt bad but there wasn't much she could do about it now. Cleaning him from the fall and giving him some new clothes was the least she could do. For saving her life, she would be eternally grateful.

Ion couldn't help but smile as he leaned toward on the stool he was sitting on. They were in Esther's private tent which was set up beside the festival. He could hear carnival music and children laughing with delight over all the games and rides there were. Ion couldn't wait to see what was set up out there, especially if it meant doing these things with Esther, "You don't need to apologise, everything turned out well in the end."

He then closed his eyes as he thought back on their first kiss in the forest. It was such a magical feeling; Ion had no words to describe it. Esther's lips were so soft and warm and the feeling still lingered, even now he could still taste her in his mouth which didn't help settle his desire for her. Feeling her warm hands over his back sent shivers down his spine. All he wanted was to take her in his arms and kiss her again except longer and deeper than before. His hands tightened into fists as he tried fighting back the urge to jump her.

Esther used the towel to dry his back off and removed it once she felt satisfied he was dry. The young Queen could hardly see the scratches anymore; it was as though that earlier incident didn't even happen. She was glad Ion wouldn't be scarred from such an event but as she stared at his back, colour developed in her cheeks as she started looking over him more closely. Ion's back was very defined, along with his arms which had muscles slightly bulging from his skin. He wasn't overly muscular which was good as she didn't think the look would suit him. But right now, he that look of a man which had evolved from the young boy he used to be.

Before she knew what she was doing, Esther's hands reached out to Ion's back again as she pressed them against his skin firmly. Instead of checking him for injury, she started caressing slowly as though exploring him. She started around his lower back first and slowly made her way up to his shoulder blades. She felt Ion tense in response as she felt goose bumps welcome his skin. Esther couldn't believe she was doing this, they had only kissed once, and it wasn't like they were in an actual relationship. Yet look at her now, feeling over him as though she owned him. That would be nice, if she could actually claim him as her man, her Methuselah, her Ion. By this time, Esther's hands had rested on his shoulders while her forehead rested against the back of his head with disappointment. Thinking about it, could they really be in a relationship? Perhaps if she was still that same girl from the Vatican but she wasn't anymore. She was a Queen, and she didn't belong to herself anymore, she belonged to the people. Would it really be right for her to be in a relationship when she had to dedicate her life to others?

"Don't stop," Ion said softly when he felt Esther's soft massage stop. He wasn't expecting her to do anything like that but it wasn't like he was regretting it. The only thing he regretted was that she didn't continue. It felt so good feeling her touch him like this.

When she didn't respond, Ion started growing concerned. Did he say something to upset her? "Esther...?" Ion brought one of his hands over her own as he turned his head to see her, "What's wrong?"

Esther shook her head, not really knowing what to say. Ion was such a great guy; he was so perfect in every way. He really cared for those around him and would do anything to protect them. He was so considerate and caring and his smile would make any woman melt in response. While he had such a great personality, he had looks which could kill. But did she really deserve him? They lived in two different worlds. He had his own obligations to the Empire which meant he needed to be there to follow whatever orders Seth, the Empress required of him. He also mentioned that someday, he would be taking his grandmother's role as Head of the Imperial Council.

She wanted to tell him how she felt, that she loved Ion with all her heart and soul. But how could she when he was such an important figure to the Empire? Would she even be allowed to be with a Methuselah? Sure the war was over, but it wasn't like everyone had accepted each race as equals. There were still humans and Methuselah who were against the peace between both races and she couldn't risk Ion being hurt by anyone because the differences.

"I'm fine," Esther answered, although there was a bit of strain in her voice since she was lying. She felt ready to cry but she didn't want to worry Ion. Stepping away from him as she pulled her hands back, she decided to change the subject, "I'll go get you a new top. Your other one was torn from the fall earlier so I'll be right back." She needed an excuse to get away from him and finding new clothes seemed like the best option. While away, she needed to put herself in line and make herself believe that friendship would be as far as they could go. She couldn't be selfish, she couldn't bare dragging Ion away from his family and home to be with her; it didn't seem fair. Yet she couldn't go there as she had her obligations to her own people.

As Esther walked around Ion, she made sure to have her head turned away so he couldn't see her face as it was hard pretending to be fine when she really wasn't. But before she could walk off, Ion had grabbed her hand and suddenly pulled her to him. Esther yelped in shock and suddenly fell back onto Ion's lap. Once she was sitting against him, Ion wrapped his arms around her firmly and rested his head beside her own. Esther's heart skipped a beat as she sat there, unable to move due to the sheer joy of being cuddled by him and from the unexpected action.

Ion turned her head so he could look into her eyes. He could tell Esther was upset about something so he wasn't going to have her walk out on him to sort it out on her own. "What's the matter?" Ion asked with concern as he shifted aside some of the loose strands of hair from her face behind her ear. Esther was beet red, unable to process any thoughts at this moment. Right now, all she was focused on was how she was sitting on Ion's lap. That and how she was pressed against Ion's bare chest! She couldn't help but allow her eyes to wander, wanting to see how Ion looked from the front compared to the back. She was fascinated by his back earlier but now she had a new obsession with his chest. Again he was well defined and had muscles slightly bulging from his skin. Even a six-pack was very noticeable which drew Esther to him even more. Of course she loved Ion for his personality, but having a great body never hurt. It added to the attraction which made Esther want to scream. Wasn't she thinking earlier that they should be friends only!?

"What are you staring at?" Ion smirked with amusement which made Esther's eyes widen with embarrassment as she quickly turned her head away. Her face was now redder than her hair if that was even possible. She felt so embarrassed right now that she wished lightning would strike her and put her out of her misery. The Count couldn't help but chuckle a bit as he cupped Esther's chin and turned her head to his, "Esther... There's something I've wanted to tell you since I've arrived. Actually, there's also something I've wanted to ask as well."

Esther's heart began to beat rapidly as she stared into Ion's bright red eyes. She couldn't picture what Ion was about to say, but judging by the expression on his face, she felt it must be very important. The young Queen couldn't help but feel uneasy about it, thinking it might be something bad like he had a fiancé back home. 'Oh god please no. Don't let it be anything like that,' Esther thought in her head with fear.

"Esther..." Ion whispered as he leaned in closer to her. He knew he had something to say to her, but staring at her now with her lips so full and luscious were becoming too much to ignore. He had wanted to kiss her some more, and now seemed like the perfect opportunity since they were alone. Plus he forgot what he wanted to say. It may come to him once he settled his desires momentarily.

Esther watched as Ion's face drew closer to hers and felt her heart was going to jump out of her chest. How was she supposed to remind herself that it won't work between them if he was going to make things more difficult? Still, not a word of protest came from her mouth. Instead, she simply closed her eyes and waited as she felt Ion's forehead press against hers. Their breath became one and Esther could almost feel Ion's lips against hers when...

"Ion! Esther!" Abel rushed into the tent, "I had wanted to see if..." He stopped mid-sentence when he saw the position Ion and Esther were in. With Esther on his lap and Ion shirtless, only one thought processed in Abel's head which made him blush a bit, "Oops, sorry! I'll be leaving!"

Esther quickly got up from Ion's lap then, thankful internally for the distraction, "Father Nightroad! I need to go get Ion another shirt. Can you please keep him company while I get something for him?" Abel blinked in confusion, not really certain if he should stay in Esther's private tent. He raised his index finger in the air and was about to present a reasonable excuse but suddenly saw her rush passed him, "Thanks Father!" Abel turned and watched her go then lowered his hand slowly, so much for his excuse. It wasn't keeping Ion company that bothered him so much, it was actually how perceptive the Count could be.

"Father," Ion sighed, both in annoyance for Abel's sudden appearance but also upset over Esther leaving so suddenly, "There's something I've been meaning to ask you."

'Here it comes,' Abel thought but smiled all the same, trying to look innocent, "Yes Count?"

"You knew about Esther climbing that tree didn't you?" Ion asked suspiciously, "It's why you rushed in to check and see if we were okay right?"

"What makes you think that?" Abel tried acting dumb.

"So you did know," Ion suspected as he got up from the stool.

"I didn't say that."

"But you didn't deny it," Ion narrowed his gaze on the tall priest while Abel felt a bead of sweat run down the back of his neck. Even though he was taller than the blonde, Ion could still be quite intimidating if crossed the wrong way. He watched as Ion walked to the dresser which held a few of Esther's belongings on it like a brush, mirror and makeup. But what Ion reached for was the Easter egg Esther had retrieved from the tree. Esther had mentioned to Ion that it belonged to Eris but Ion had his doubts on it. How could such a little girl get it up that high? Even if it was thrown, the chances of it landing on a branch right on the top of the tree was still highly unlikely. It had to be put up there by someone, and that someone had to be Abel. The young Methuselah looked at the egg for a moment, staring at its bright blue wrapper before tossing it up in the air and catching it again, "I can't believe you'd risk injuring your Queen like that."

Abel took offence to that but he could see where Ion was going with it. Technically it was wrong of him to gamble Esther's life on a little match making plan but he never intended to put Esther's life on the line. "I didn't expect that it would turn out as bad as it did," Abel admitted, feeling guilty about it.

"It's alright Father," Ion turned to look at the priest again thoughtfully, "You brought both of us together and for that I thank you." He smiled as he tossed the egg towards the Crusnik. Abel caught it without any problems and stared down at it for a moment. He remembered putting this egg in that tree for himself when they were hiding the eggs. It was selfish as the chocolate was meant for the orphans but he couldn't help himself. He didn't intend on telling the Count this as he knew he'd be in more trouble then. Instead, he looked back at Ion and tossed the egg back to him, "You can have it. I'm sure you haven't tried one these yet have you?"

Ion caught it again and shook his head, "No, I haven't." But after all the issues in saving it, Ion decided it would be best for Esther to keep it. Perhaps it could be kept in memory over the little drama this chocolate egg caused.

After a moment of silence, Abel took another step into the tent and asked, "Tell me something Count. How did you know that tree incident involved me?" Even though the issue was resolved now, Abel knew this little puzzle was going to bug him all day. Better to ask now and have it forgotten then to bring it up later down the track and recall the fright of risking Esther injury again.

Ion smiled a bit, "Well, first there was you in that bunny suit when you came to scare away those girls. Then when I was conveniently on my own before a little girl came up to me out of no where and tells me Esther was in the forest. But how would she have known that I wonder? And Esther couldn't remember how she got up in that tree; she's usually responsible enough not to put herself in situations like that. So who did that leave to suspect? If that wasn't a big enough clue, it was you two spying on us which gave it away." Ion raised an eyebrow at the priest while Abel turned his head away and rubbed the back of his head; so much for the under cover match making plan.

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Esther had returned a few minutes later with new upper garments for Ion. It consisted of a white long sleeve turtleneck shirt with a black button up jacket to go on top. When Ion put them on, he looked down at himself and noticed the jacket sat above his stomach while the white shirt underneath went down to the belt of his pants.

"This reminds me of the outfit I wore when you first came with me to the Empire," Ion noticed as he looked to Esther for confirmation.

Esther simply smiled, "I suppose the style is similar. It's not quite as elegant as that outfit you wore those years ago but the look suits you."

Ion blinked, "You took the time to examine my outfits back then and assess if whether or not they looked good?" He couldn't help but chuckle while Esther went wide eyed, realising how strange that must have sounded. "That's not what I meant. It's just, the clothes were different from what I usually see." It wasn't like she was 'checking him out' or anything. Not that she needed a reason or excuse as that was five years ago! She just took into account how nice his clothes were, and how cute Ion looked in them. None the less, her cheeks turned slightly pink with embarrassment.

"Well, I liked that outfit you wore back then too," Ion admitted as he thought back on it, "It was very cute. And I liked how we matched." It was Ion's turn to blush a little then but wasn't afraid to show it. Turning his attention back to Esther, Ion walked over to her and took her hands within his. He then brought her hands up to his face and started pressing soft kisses against her fingers and backs of her hands. Each kiss felt like fire on Esther's skin and she could feel it flow all the way through her body. She shuddered slightly with delight but had to remember they shouldn't be doing this. It sucked the enjoyment right out of her.

Because of this, Esther slowly pulled her hands away from Ion's which made him look at her quizzically. She noticed he looked a little hurt by her actions but she couldn't bear to explain why. Instead, she forced a smile and walked to the entrance of the tent saying, "Come on, let's go enjoy ourselves. Everyone is having fun without us." Ion was still confused by her actions but decided to let it slip this time. He wondered if this had anything to do with her strange behaviour earlier but figured she didn't want to talk about it. It bothered him, but for now he'd let her have her way. She may explain herself later after the festivities.

As he made his way to the entrance of the tent, Ion reached for Esther's hand but watched as she slipped outside before he could. Why was she being so distant all of a sudden? Was she ashamed to look too involved with him in front of others? Ion let out a long sigh but followed after her without a word.

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Esther was ecstatic by how lively everything was. She knew she had organised this festival but it turned out a lot better than expected. There was music playing all around her from the different game stands. There were people everywhere with balloons and fancy hats while children were running all over the place with chocolate in hand and plush toys in the other.

"Wow, where should we go first? It's so crowded that it's hard to see everything," Esther started surveying the area while Ion stood by her patiently waiting. He watched some of the people passing by and couldn't help but stare at some of their strange hats. One lady had a wide brimmed hat with ribbons attached to it everywhere while a nest and a yellow chicken sat on top. If that didn't get any stranger, he saw someone else with a rabbit standing on top of theirs with long stems of flowers in each of its paws. Was there some sort of fancy hat day along with Easter that he didn't know about?

"Oh! This should interest you Count!" Esther squealed excitedly as she took Ion's arm and started running with him through a large crowd to a particular stand which radiated a strong cocoa smell. Esther managed to get them to the front of the crowd. When Ion had a clear view of what was in the stand, his eyes widened with amazement once he saw what was inside. This stand featured a documented run down of how chocolate was made. There were pamphlets for people to take home which featured ingredients on how to make milk chocolate, white chocolate, dark chocolate and many more. But what shocked Ion the most was that they were actually making it right there right in front of him, and with a large machine of all things.

Father Wordsworth was watching the machine do its thing while he held a smoke pipe to his mouth. He had made this machine especially for Esther's Easter festival and was pleased it was working beautifully. It would take the ingredients needed for the particular chocolate recipe he set it to, as there were different functions for it, then the machine would mix the ingredients together, take them within itself and start making loads of chocolate Easter eggs which would come out from the other end. They were ready to eat by the time they came out and Sister Kate was there selling them to those fascinated enough to try them.

"Wow, Father Wordsworth!" Esther smiled brightly with awe, "This machine is amazing! I've seen chocolate made before but it was only ever done by hand!"

"Careful now Your Majesty," Sister Kate rolled her eyes, "You don't want to swell his head any more than it already is."

"How rude!" The Professor huffed but smiled with amusement at the same time, "I'll have you know that I spent months getting this contraption to work. I was worried I may not have it ready in time but I'm glad it came through! I call it, 'The Wordsworth Chocolate Maker!" Sister Kate simply sighed at the lack of a creative name but decided to keep her mouth shut about it.

"This is incredible..." Ion gapped with amazement, "You can even see what's going on inside from these little windows."

"Yes well, what's the fun of seeing the chocolate come through the machine if you can't even see what its doing inside?" Father Wordsworth explained, "I'll be more than happy to let you in on how I made this if you like."

"Oh please no," Sister Kate shook her head, "He has tried explaining five times now to other visitors but they would give up trying to understand what he's saying!"

"Nonsense, it's quite simple once you get your head around the concept, but anyway, it all started when..." The Professor started going into his long excessive rant which made Sister Kate want to smack him. Instead, the Iron Maiden handed Esther and Ion pamphlets and a small basket of chocolate for them both to share. She whispered quietly and said, "If you don't go now, you'll be stuck here for the whole day." She smiled and added, "Enjoy yourselves you two. It was nice seeing you again Your Majesty." She bowed to her while Esther waved her hand in dismissal, "Please Sister Kate, Esther is fine."

"Then enjoy yourself Esther," Sister Kate reiterated as she turned back to the Professor, who was still going on with his rant.

Esther was holding onto the little basket of chocolate while Ion was reading over the ingredient pamphlet. It was a shame the Professor had only made one of those machines, he would love to have another which he could take to the Empire. Perhaps if he asked the Professor nicely, he may consider making another one. Still, the directions on how to make chocolate didn't seem too hard. Plus they had all these ingredients back home so hand making them didn't seem too bad for now. "Mmmm." Ion heard Esther make a little noise and turned his head to look at her. He noticed Esther was chewing on one of the chocolate eggs Sister Kate had given them. "Is it good?" He asked.

Esther nodded as she finished one of them, "They're delicious! Here," Esther held the basket out to Ion, "Try one!" Ion looked at the basket for a moment then looked back at Esther as he noticed a bit of melted chocolate on the side of her mouth. He couldn't help but smile at the sight as it reminded him of a little girl. He felt tempted to lean in and lick the chocolate off but with her strange behaviour back at her tent, he didn't want to force anything on her which would make her feel uncomfortable. Instead, he brought his hand to the side of her face and wiped the smear of chocolate off with his index finger. He then brought his finger to his mouth and brought the tip inside as he sucked it off. He had his eyes locked on hers as he did this while Esther couldn't help but stare back with her cheeks burning bright red.

"It's good," Ion said as he removed his finger from his mouth, "Very good..." He smiled sweetly at her which made the young Queen want to faint. How is it that Ion knew exactly what to do to leave her breathless? She loved him and hated him for it all at the same time. 'Enjoy it while you can,' Esther thought to herself, 'Because he won't be here much longer...' Esther upset herself again with these thoughts but she made sure to turn her head away so Ion wouldn't notice. Unknown to her however, Ion actually did and had to bite his tongue to make sure he kept quiet about it. He knew he promised himself not to pry but how much more of this could he take? Esther was upset about something, and that something involved him.

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They walked around a bit more with Esther acting as Ion's guide. They went to one area where children and some adults were making Easter bonnets. This is where those strange hats were being made that Ion noticed earlier. Lots of colourful ornaments revolving around Easter were being used for decoration like bunnies, colourful eggs, yellow chicks, then there was the excessive use of ribbons and flowers to add with them.

"Would you like to make one yourself?" Esther asked Ion.

"Um, thanks but I think I'll pass this time." It was nice to watch but Ion didn't feel he was in the spirit of Easter. To him, making a bonnet like that would be pointless as he wouldn't have the nerve to wear it. Everyone seemed very creative with their ideas as well. He could picture himself not having a clue as to where to start.

After watching bonnet making for a while, Ion turned his head to another activity area which was located just next door. "What's over there?" Ion asked. Esther looked past him and smiled as she led him to the next area. From what Ion could see, they looked to be making Easter eggs but not in the same manner Father Wordsworth was. There were different coloured paints all over the tables while children and adults alike were painting red shelled eggs. Ion was confused with this as he thought they were for eating.

"This is another activity people like to do on Easter. These are just normal eggs which are used for painting but are first dyed red. You can then paint these eggs in any pattern you wish," Esther giggled a bit as she picked up a red egg which hadn't been painted yet then borrowed an egg from a child which had already been painted. "I used to make these when I was little. Eggs are a symbol of eternity and Christ's resurrection." She held them out to Ion so he could get a closer look. The Methuselah was a bit confused with the concept behind the eggs, but he did like the designs.

Bringing his hand up to the painted egg, just so he could get a closer look, his fingers caressed against Esther's which sent a sudden wave of electricity through the young Queen's body. She almost dropped the egg from that unexpected reaction but Ion quickly caught it before it fell from her hand. The Methuselah stared at her for a moment, trying to figure out what he had done wrong that time. He could tell that Esther looked uncomfortable but he didn't understand why. He couldn't take it anymore; he needed to find out what it was.

"Esther, did I do something to upset you in some way?" There, he finally asked, now to follow his question through.

The young Queen looked at him quizzically, "No, you haven't done anything like that. If anything, I've really enjoyed your company today." Esther smiled a bit, but the nervousness was still there. She wanted to enjoy this day to her fullest and hoped to achieve the same for Ion but her conflicting emotions were getting in the way. She couldn't let this let to her though. She needed to give Ion a good time for coming all this way today for this one event, as it was uncertain when this chance would ever come again.

Ion gave out a little sigh with annoyance, he asked the question but it didn't answer anything. Perhaps he needed to be more direct about what their relationship was to Esther. He was curious to see how she answered but at the same time it frightened him. 'Please Esther; please tell me what I want to hear...'

"Esther," Ion started as he kept his gaze locked on hers, "What made you want to invite me here today?" That question was certainly unexpected; she had been anticipating another question about egg painting, but since it wasn't about that, she didn't know how to respond. Ion kept his gaze on her, patiently waiting for her to answer his question.

"I-It had been five years since we last saw each other," Esther replied, "During that time, we hadn't kept in contact at all and that upset me." It was true, ever since she was crowned Queen of Albion, her life had changed dramatically. She didn't mind becoming a Queen, but she missed the freedom she once had. Secretly she had hoped to visit Ion back at the Empire after the war. She loved it there; it was a very beautiful and peaceful place. Going there also meant she could spend time with Ion and it wouldn't be work related. She had dreamt of those times again and again and always dreaded waking up finding it was all a dream.

"Why?" Ion suddenly asked which brought Esther out of her thoughts, "Why did it upset you?" Again, Esther felt put on the spot. It was as though Ion was trying to pry something out of her but she didn't know what. Why was he asking these questions all of a sudden? Wasn't it good enough to finally spend time together and just enjoy it while it lasted? 'Why did losing contact upset me?' Esther thought in her head as she looked down at the ground, 'Because...' She looked up to Ion as she stared into the pools of his red eyes, 'Because, I love you.'

"Because, you are a dear friend," Esther replied softly, almost silently as she turned her head away. There was a long awkward silence between them. Esther didn't know what to do, she feared seeing the look on Ion's face after that lie she just made. Why couldn't she be open and honest with him? Sure he started out as a friend at first, but it didn't take long for their friendship to develop into something more. She longed for him and wanted to always have him by her side. She wanted him with her as not only a friend but a lover. Yet... She was too scared of losing him all because of the difference in their titles and status.

Ion couldn't believe what he just heard. He was stunned; he couldn't get over the overwhelming disappointment in her words. He felt as though Esther raised a gun to his chest and shot him with a silver bullet. Was he the only one that wanted something more between them? He didn't want to just be 'a dear friend'; he wanted Esther to be his other-half, his lover, his wife, his partner for life. He thought that could be possible after that kiss they shared in the forest. He was so happy to think that Esther may feel the same way he did. That kiss was filled with so much love and desire that he didn't think words were needed to describe how he felt. He had wanted to tell her he loved her but after that, he didn't think it was necessary.

Now look at them, she seemed to keep her distance from him every time he made an advance on her. What did that kiss mean to her then? Was she just toying with his emotions? Was it just a 'friendship' kiss?! Was that all it was?! Ion's hands clenched into tight fists then, he was so angry and upset right now that he felt like screaming. But that's fine, that's okay. He could handle being rejected. Sure it hurt, but what could be done about it? If Esther didn't feel the same way then fine, he'll learn to get over her with time. This pain in his heart will be a reminder not to fall for anyone so easily again.

"I see," Ion responded after what felt like eternity. He wanted to say more, a lot more, but what would be the point? Esther had told him how she felt, it would be pointless of him to say how he felt and be rejected again. All he could do now was try and enjoy the rest of the day while it lasted. After all, it might be the last day he'd be willing to spend with Esther. "Shall we go then?" Ion finally said after another moment's silence. He turned his back on her and started walking while Esther stared at his back with both worry and sadness. His voice just now sounded so hollow and emotionless. Even his eyes looked lifeless, as though he was now an empty shell.

"Ion," Esther murmured, "I've upset you haven't I?" Ion didn't respond, he continued walking as though he didn't hear her. This upset Esther more. The young Queen followed quickly after him and reached for his arm, "Ion, please wait a-." The moment she touched him however, the Count shoved her hand away as though she was nothing to him. Esther stopped where she was, so surprised and hurt by his actions that she didn't know how to respond. Ion took a few more steps but eventually stopped as well, feeling the guilt in what he just did to her.

"Esther, you aren't just a 'dear friend' to me. I'm selfish, and want more from you," Ion took a deep breath but kept his back to her, feeling as though he'd lose his nerve if he turned to her, "If that's not possible. Then this will be the last time I'll come see you on a personal basis. It will be business from this point onwards. And I doubt if I'll make the time to come here unless it was absolutely necessary."

Esther was speechless. If she didn't know any better, she'd say he was threatening her with those words. "What's wrong with being my friend? Do you suddenly hate me?"

Ion turned and glared at her then, "When did I say I hated you!?" His words shook her like a mild earth quake, "I never implied such a thing! Are you even listening to what I'm saying!?"

It was now Esther's turn to lose her temper, "What do you expect me to think!? You suddenly tell me you want nothing further to do with me and that I bother you!"

"I never said you bothered me!"

"I must bother you if you don't want to see me anymore! But as far as I'm aware, if it weren't for me sending you constant letters, our communication would have broke when I left the Empire those five years ago!" Esther was so upset that she was starting to say things she didn't mean, "It took you all these years to finally give some confirmation that you even existed! Did you think you could just waltz into my life whenever it pleased you!?" She glared angrily while Ion's anger started to flare as well, "Don't come into my life if you plan on running away from me again! If you hardly cared about me, then you should have just continued ignoring me!"

"Hardly cared!?" Ion was astonished, he usually considered Esther quite an intelligent woman. But right now their argument was making no sense to him. Especially with her words just now, he wondered if even she knew what she was saying, "Do you really think I'd come all this way just to toy with you!? Do you really see me as being that shallow!?" Ion shook his head with disbelief and took a deep breath. "The incident in the forest," he lowered his tone so he wasn't shouting anymore, "Did my actions really show I didn't care about you?" When Esther didn't say anything he continued, "If that's what you think, then I guess I'm wasting my time."

"Ion… Ion I-"

"Leave me alone," Ion sighed as he turned his back on her again, "At least for a little while…" Ion's words were so cold and dead that it sent daggers to Esther's heart. What happened to them? She had wanted this day to be something special between them. It started out so well this morning so what caused the sudden drift? It was then that Esther felt tears developing in her eyes when the realisation dawned on her, 'It's because of me...'

She turned her back on him as well, unable to contain herself. A tear slid down the corner of her eye as she started running away from him. She didn't want him seeing her like this.

"Esther, I'm sorry," Ion bowed his head with sadness. His first instinct was to chase after her and apologise for what happened but he couldn't. He stayed right where he was. He was hurting too, not just her. But what really bothered him were her feelings towards him. Was his love really one sided? Did Esther not care for him at all? "I'm such a fool..." Ion brought a hand over his eyes as he felt ready to cry himself.

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**Author's Note:** Well, so much for making it shorter lol. I tried to but it didn't work o.o. Short stories are something I can never do. I write with too much detail I think, I can't get out of that habit. Hmmm... Well anyway, yes it has been a while since the last update. I know it's not Easter anymore but I can't say I was going to leave this until another year when Easter came again. There will only be one more part, or two more at most, it won't be a long series or anything. Hope you like it :-) 


	2. Chapter 2

**An Easter to Remember Always**

Disclaimer: The characters featured in this story from Trinity Blood do not belong to me. This is the last part to the Easter to Remember series… Well, maybe XP At least for this story.

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Part 2

"Mr Vampire?"

Ion still had a hand over his eyes, trying to remain calm over the situation with Esther. Because of this, he didn't take much notice of a young girl standing next to him. "What's wrong? Where is Her Majesty?" The girl asked. Ion finally removed his hand from his eyes and noticed it was Eris, the little girl who told him of Esther's where-bouts when she was missing.

"I'm fine; Esther just went to get a drink that's all."

Eris could tell he was lying; she had actually witnessed their earlier argument as she was sitting close-by when it happened. The egg Esther had borrowed to show Ion was one that belonged to one of her friends. Because of this, her attention was locked on them as she wanted to be sure nothing happened to the egg. When she was watching however, she didn't expect to see what she just saw between them. She felt sorry for Ion and wanted to help him even if it wasn't her business.

"Come sit with me Mr Vampire," Eris commanded as she took his hand and started dragging him towards the egg painting area. Ion was caught off-guard by her actions but allowed him self to be dragged along. "My name is Ion, little girl." Ion did not appreciate being called 'Vampire' but he didn't expect a young girl to know any better.

Eris sat him down on her chair and sat herself on his lap so there would be no way for him to escape. Her friends giggled at the comical display which made Ion want to shrink and disappear. "Can we have it back now?" Eris asked as she held her hand out. Ion at first didn't get what she meant until he realised he still had that decorated egg Esther showed him earlier. He had it in his left hand and brought it towards Eris so she could give it to her friend. When he thought he could go, he was surprised to suddenly have another egg thrust in front of him, except this egg was just plain red.

"Start painting," Eris ordered.

Ion sighed and placed the egg back on the table, "I thank you for including me in this little painting session but I'm really not in the mood."

"It's Easter! You should be in the mood! It only comes once a year so you should make something of it!" Eris continued painting her egg while her friends did the same. Ion watched them quietly but found he couldn't get into the Easter spirit like the rest of them. As far as he was concerned, he felt he ruined his Easter, along with Esther's. He had never intended to fight with her like this. It was the last thing he expected, especially since they hadn't seen each other in so long. If she didn't love him then he should respect her feelings instead of acting like a spoiled child and debating her decision. He needed to make amends but how should he go about it?

Eris had been watching him from the corner of her eye and noticed how depressed the young Count seemed. It was plain to see that it had something to do with Esther. Eris had seen them together constantly ever since she arrived at the festival with the rest of her friends from the orphanage. They seemed so happy together that it didn't seem right seeing them apart and upset like this. She was no expert on love but she felt she understood it a little more than any of her friends. With the life she had lived, she had experienced things which most young girls should never experience in their entire life time. Because of this, she had matured a lot faster than most girls. But now the question remained on how she could help him. Staring at her egg for a moment, Eris stared at the design she had made and said out of the blue, "Eternity..."

Ion turned his puzzled gaze to the young blonde as she held her egg out to him. "I remember hearing that white eggs symbolised eternity." She placed the egg in his hand and smiled, "I can't say I know a lot about the meaning of painting eggs, but if a white egg means eternity, then I think I painted the right thing for myself!" Ion wasn't sure what she was getting at, but as he stared at her egg, he noticed she had painted the egg so it looked like a cat. He blinked at it quizzically at first, wondering why she had painted a cat of all things, but at he stared at its brown coloured fur and green eyes, he couldn't help but smile a bit. 'So, she likes cats huh? Cute...'

Noticing the slight curve in his lips, Eris thought she'd press the meaning of what she was getting at more. "It's what I love! And I'll love cats for all eternity." She nudged him a bit, "What will you love for all eternity?" As childish as her views were behind the meaning of egg painting, Ion couldn't help but feel some what inspired by her words. Esther had wanted him to enjoy this Easter with her and even though he didn't completely understand it's purpose, he noticed it was a bit like Christmas where families and friends would get together to enjoy this special time of the year together. He wanted to enjoy this time with Esther, and what he wanted for all eternity was to be with her always.

"Little girl, can I borrow a brush and some paint?" Ion asked as he smiled at her.

"My name is Eris, little boy," Eris poked her tongue out playfully as she handed him what he requested. Ion poked his tongue back at her and chuckled a bit while she giggled with him.

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Esther was sitting on a grassy hill some distance away from the festival. She wanted to be alone, and hoped no one would find her. Her tent seemed like an obvious place to find someone of her status which is why she avoided it. Hopefully she could regain her self composure before anyone tried looking for her, especially Ion.

'Ion...' A fresh batch of tears started flowing down her face. She had almost stopped crying earlier but the moment Ion came to mind, she broke down all over again. Why did she behave like such a little brat? Thinking about their earlier argument, Esther could see now what Ion was getting at, why he was so upset with her when she continued lying to him endlessly about how she felt. He loved her, he didn't say it verbally but she could see it in his actions, how he looked at her, spoke to her, and if she needed proof, their kiss in the forest confirmed it. He wasn't denying how he felt, it was all her. She caused this fight between them, all because she couldn't be honest with him. Even now, all she could do was run away. 'I'm such a fool.'

"Esther?" The young Queen heard a familiar voice and couldn't help but hide her face within her folded arms which were resting on her propped up knees. Abel approached her slowly, making sure he didn't scare her off by any sudden movements. He hadn't expected to see her like this, if anything, he hoped to see her at her happiest. She seemed to be enjoying herself earlier when preparing for the Easter Hunt, so what had caused this all of a sudden? Ion wouldn't have hurt her would he?

"May I sit down?" Abel asked as he waited for confirmation from Esther. The young Queen nodded her head slowly but didn't raise her head from her arms. The Crusnik sat down beside her and looked out over the festival grounds, "Everyone is having a really good time. This turned out a lot better than we first thought." He smiled, "And it's all thanks to you, Our Queen." He patted her on the back thoughtfully while Esther slowly raised her head to look at him, as though uncertain of his words.

"F-Father Nightroad," Esther whispered through sobs, "I haven't done a thing."

"You've done more than you think you have," Abel reassured as he reached into his robe pocket for something, "You brought all these people here today. None of this would have been possible if it weren't for your encouragement and support. You've done so much yet you don't take the time to look at your own needs as well." Esther watched as Abel pulled out a soft white handkerchief. He held it out to her and waited as she took it from his hand slowly. She brought the soft fabric to her eyes and started drying her face of all the tears.

Once she had stopped crying, Esther stared at Abel's handkerchief and couldn't help but smile a bit at it. Funny how such simple gestures could make all the difference in one's mood. Abel hadn't even tried prying into her private affairs, yet he continued sitting here keeping her company all the same. If Esther wanted anyone sitting with her right now, it would be Abel.

"Father," Esther murmured, "I've realised, how much I really love Ion." She blushed a bit at her words, as this was the first time she had confessed her love for Ion out loud. "I'd love more than anything to be with him always. I haven't been able to tell him yet, which I feel is wrong as we kissed some time ago..." Esther's face turned a brighter shade of red as the memory of Ion's lips pressed against hers filled her mind. "Ion has been so good to me, he's always so sweet and kind, and yet I repay him by hurting his feelings." She bowed her head with regret, "I want to tell him how I feel but at the same time, I worry about the future. We're both so different; I don't want to hurt him if I know it won't work out..."

Abel listened to her words carefully, making sure to let her say what she wanted before saying anything in response. He was happy to hear they didn't have a fight, as that's what he assumed at first. Still, he couldn't help but smile to himself over her little dilemma, thinking it was just like her to worry about something so trivial.

"How do you know it won't work?" Abel asked in curiosity.

"Because we're both from two different worlds," Esther answered sadly.

"Perhaps, but I never thought it bothered you that Ion was a Methuselah."

Esther quickly turned to him, "No Father! That's not what I meant! I didn't mean to make it sound that way!"

"Then what's troubling you? To me Esther, you seem to be making excuses for yourself. Your role as Queen and Ion's role to the Empire are very important things, that I'll admit, but you shouldn't let that come between you." Abel tapped the tip of her nose playfully and smiled, "Do you Esther Blanchett, not the Queen of Albion, but you Esther, do you love Ion?"

Esther stared into Abel's bright blue eyes for a moment before smiling and nodding to him, "I do, more than anything."

"Then that's all that matters." He got up from the ground and held his hand out to the young Queen, "You can't predict what will happen in the future. Life is always full of obstacles, that can't be avoided, but if you remain true to yourself and remember to keep the things that are most important here," he brought his hand over his chest where his heart sat, "Then you can take on anything."

"Father Nightroad," Esther stared at him in awe, "Thank you..." Esther almost wanted to cry again, but out of happiness this time. Abel knew just what to say to give her the courage she needed. All she needed was a little reassurance and a push in the right direction. Her love for Ion was the most important thing to her right now and she couldn't let that go for anything. She had to tell him. She had to tell him how she really felt.

Abel helped her off the ground and smiled while Esther smiled back happily. "Let's go find him together," Abel continued holding her hand as he started guiding her back to the festival grounds, "Of course; I'll be sure to leave once we DO find him haha." Abel rubbed the back of his head while Esther simply giggled. Abel didn't want a repeat of that situation when he walked in on her and Ion in the tent. He knew if it happened again, Ion wouldn't let him walk out without paying the price first. The thought sent a cold shiver down his spine. No, he definitely didn't want that.

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"Hey Abel!"

A tall man wearing an AX uniform with brown shoulder length hair called out as he waved to Abel from a distance. Abel had escorted Esther back to the festival grounds and were about to start their search until Abel heard his name being called. When he noticed who it was, Abel walked up to the other AX member and smiled, "Good afternoon Leon! How's things been for you today?"

"Not bad, not bad. Been kept busy till now which is good." Leon's eyes caught Esther standing beside the silver haired priest and bowed his head, "Nice to see you again Esther."

"Nice to see you too Leon, thank you for taking the time to help out today, it's very much appreciated." Esther returned the bow while Leon just chuckled and rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, "Ah it's no problem! Can't say I had much else planned heh."

He suddenly snapped his fingers in realisation of something, "Oh Abel! Since we aren't busy..." Leon suddenly pulled out a large mallet and held it out to the silver haired priest. Abel had ducked with reflex as he first thought Dandelion was going to hit him with it. "Get up you dope! I want you to try this out." Leon pointed to his right at the Hi-Striker game which he had been assigned to take care of. He liked men testing their strength at this game, hoping to sound the bell at the top but a lot would fail on their first attempt as they would get too over-confident. It made him want to laugh at times when their girlfriends or wives looked at them as though they were weaklings. When this would happen, the challenger would normally try again which resulted in more money being paid to him for extra attempts. "Win something for our great Queen."

"Errr, Leon, I'm not good at this type of thing heheh." Abel started backing away.

"Don't be such a wuss!" Leon thrust the large mallet into Abel's hands and watched as the silver haired priest nearly dropped it because of its weight. "Come on, be a good sport and give it a try. If you hit the bell, you win a prize!"

"You can do it Father!" Esther cheered with reassurance as she smiled sweetly. How could Abel say no now? His grip tightened on the mallet as he stepped up to the game. The platform where you hit the mallet sat before him. He stared up at the bell which sat metres above the ground and began to doubt if he really could hit it. Still, there was no harm in trying. Lifting the mallet over his head, Abel nearly fell backwards from the weight but quickly brought it forward as he hit the platform. The force lit a few lights as the object inside the game flew up the tall tube but it didn't end up sounding the bell. It got to about three quarters of the way up before falling back down to the bottom.

"I never realised how weak you were till now Abel," Leon said as he raised an eyebrow at him.

"Hey! I did my best!" Abel said to his defence, "This isn't as easy as it seems!"

"Can I try?" Esther said which made both the men turn their attention to her in surprise.

"Esther, don't be fooled. This game is rigged, I swear it is."

"Oi!" Leon slapped Abel behind his head, "This is NOT rigged. Just because you failed doesn't mean Esther will!"

"Don't be so mean!" Abel pouted as he rubbed his head.

Esther took the mallet from Abel and stepped up to the platform. As Abel gave her some space, his blue eyes wandered over to the stand where all the prizes sat. He stared at them for a moment and wondered if Esther may consider giving Ion a present. It may help smooth things over between them and help give Esther some confidence when she confronted him.

"What type of prize would be good for a gift?" Abel question to himself out of the blue which caught Leon's attention.

"A gift?" Leon questioned, "For who exactly?"

"Oh um," Abel looked at him then brought his finger to his lips to make Leon lower his voice, "Shhh, I was thinking Esther could win a gift for a certain 'special' person." Abel made sure to say this softly so Esther wouldn't hear.

"Ohhh," Leon nodded as he started understanding what Abel meant. "Well let's see…" Leon started looking over the prizes himself and suddenly found one which he thought would be the best thing. "Oh, this one would be perfect."

Esther raised the mallet over her head in the same manner as Abel but had a better hold of it than he did. She summoned all of her strength into the swing and hit the platform. The three of them watched the lights light up as it travelled all the way to the top and sounded the bell with a loud ring. Abel gapped in shock at Esther's strength while Leon laughed and clapped his hands, "Well done your Majesty! Well done!"

"Thank you very much!" Esther put the mallet down and smiled brightly, "I was surprised though, I didn't expect to hit it."

"Well since you did, you win a prize!" Leon gestured to the prize stand.

Abel looked to Esther then and thought to suggest his idea, "Esther, why don't you get something for Ion? I'm sure he'd love to receive a present from you."

"Oh, that's a good idea Father!" Esther walked up to the stall where all the prizes were displayed and started wondering what to get him. There were so many to choose from. She wanted to get him something Easter themed, something like a bunny or an Easter egg but at the same time she wanted something more personal, something which came from the heart. But what type of gift could do all that?

"Here Esther! I found the perfect gift!" Leon said as he took it from the stall and held it out to her. When Esther and Abel turned their gaze to the gift, their eyes widened so much that Leon thought their eyeballs would fall out their sockets.

"Leon! That is no gift!" Abel shouted with astonishment, "Why would you have something like that in your stall?"

"What? There's nothing wrong with it. I wouldn't mind it as a gift," Leon smiled cheekily. Abel now wished he had kept his mouth shut.

Esther stared at the gift, uncertain as to how to take it. It was definitely one of the last things she would have thought of. "Do you think Ion would like it?"

"Esther!" Abel looked at her with even more shock, "Don't even consider such an absurd gift! There are many much nicer things to choose from."

"Oh stop being so old fashioned. Think about it, this gift symbolises togetherness. When you feel a certain way for someone, you hope to be with them always. This gift symbolises that. It's like wedding rings but more fun. Besides, if you were looking for something Easter themed, it's got pictures of bunnies on it." Leon pointed at them as he explained while Abel just gave him a disgusted look.

Esther on the other hand seemed intrigued by it, "When you put it that way…"

"Esther, no!" Abel said but it went unnoticed.

"But you wouldn't think he'd," Esther blushed a bit, "Get any strange thoughts from it?"

"Of course not," Leon smiled wickedly as he handed the object to her, "Trust me, I'm sure he'll like it." Abel gave up trying to make Esther listen to reason. He wondered if he should find Ion first and give him some warning before Esther gave him the gift. Still, it wasn't like he would hate it, but he wouldn't get the meaning of it the way Leon described. No one would, Leon was teasing Esther but he was doing it in such a clever way that she didn't seem to notice.

After talking to the two AX men, Esther decided to go back to her tent so she could wrap up the gift. She wanted it to look as nice as possible before giving it to Ion. She gave her thanks to the two AX men and waved before walking off. Once she was out of sight, Abel sighed and looked back at Leon, "I hope you weren't doing this as some practical joke."

"Of course not, it will just make things interesting that's all."

"Interesting is putting it lightly."

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Some time later that evening, Esther was walking through the festival grounds with Abel by her side. She went through the effort to gift wrap Ion's gift and got herself changed into one of her royal outfits. She was dressed in a golden gown which flowed all the way to the ground, leaving some excess material to trail behind her. The dress had long sleeves and was puffy at the shoulders while the neck line sat horizontally across the top of her cleavage, leaving her upper chest and neck area exposed. To compliment the outfit, she wore a golden neck choker and diamond earrings. The outfit really made her stand out, especially now that the sun had gone down. The carnival lights made her dress and jewellery shimmer, allowing her presence to radiate all the more.

People who crossed her path made sure to give her space to walk by, as it was obvious by her appearance who she was. It was strange for Esther as all day she didn't receive any special treatment like this. Earlier when she was dressed casually like normal girls, no one looked twice at her or even recognise her so she felt one with the crowd. Now that she stood out so noticeably, she wondered if it was too late to go back to her tent to change again.

"Perhaps I should have waited later to do this," Esther said softly, feeling a little uneasy with people staring at her as she walked by.

"Well, you have some duties to attend to later this evening which will require you dressed up like this," Abel replied, "Better to get it out of the way than to be interrupted later when you least expect it."

"Yes, I guess you're right."

"Besides," Abel smiled at her, "You look stunning. Judging by the stares you are receiving, I think Ion will be blown away by your beauty." Esther couldn't help but blush at that remark but inside she prayed to herself, hoping Ion would forgive her for her earlier foolishness, 'Please let things go well…' She prayed to herself.

Meanwhile, Ion was walking hand in hand with Eris while she ate some fairy floss happily. When he had finished painting eggs with her, Eris wanted to go exploring around the carnival. As she needed someone to supervise her, Ion accepted responsibility as she did cheer him up earlier. But as each hour passed, Ion felt the guilt of that earlier fight build and build within him. He had hoped to see Esther around the festival but he hadn't seen her at all. He hoped she was alright. Ion longed to see her to make up for what happened. But when he did see her, what would he say?

"Ah Ion!" Eris exclaimed excitedly, "Look over here!" Eris tugged on his hand and pointed at the Ferris wheel. "Look at how pretty it is with the lights!" Ion stared up at it and nodded, although he had never seen a contraption like this before. He watched the line up of people as they waited for their turn on the ride. When the wheel would turn slightly, allowing one of the cabins to stop by the ground, some people would get off while others would get on. 'Yet another pointless Terran contraption,' Ion thought to himself, not really understanding its use. If people wanted a better view of the sky, wouldn't an aircraft or a tower be sufficient?

"It was a good idea," Eris said out of the blue while Ion looked at her questionably, "To set the festival up by a carnival so there are more things to do."

"I guess so," Ion responded with little interest in the matter. He hadn't even realised in perfect honesty as he was so drawn to the activities people do during Easter. Rides such as these at carnivals could be used at any time during the course of the year. But Easter was only once a year, as like Christmas and New Years so he considered it a little more important.

"Eris! There are you are!"

When Eris heard her name called she turned her head in the direction of the voice and smiled brightly when she saw who it was. "Father Nightroad!"

Abel walked up to her and smiled, "Your orphanage would be getting ready to go home now, it's getting late."

"Aww, but I want to stay longer." Eris pouted.

"I'm sure you do," Abel smiled with understanding, "But rules are rules."

"Alright," Eris sighed with disappointment but nodded all the same. When she noticed Esther walk up beside Abel, she went wide eyed in awe at her appearance, "Wow Your Highness, you look so pretty!"

Esther looked down at the girl and smiled, "Thank you Eris." When Esther's eyes caught sight of Ion however, she looked up at him and noticed him staring at her, as though drinking in her appearance himself. His eyes wandered over her in a way that made her want to melt. She had hoped to get a reaction like that from him, it was one reason why she dressed up as best as she could. But as happy as she was, she needed to remember she had hurt his feelings earlier and needed to make up for it. She had to turn her gaze away so she wouldn't get too carried away; it helped to control her excitement.

Ion noticed her turn her gaze away and wondered if he made her uncomfortable with the way he was staring at her. He knew it was rude of him, as she was the Queen of Albion but he couldn't help it. She looked so beautiful that it was taking all his will power not to take her in his arms now and run away with her so he had her all to himself. But the fact that she had turned away upset him, he wanted to compliment her but felt he shouldn't if she was already on edge just being around him.

"Well, let's get going, I'm sure everyone from the orphanage is worried about you." Abel took Eris' hand and looked to Esther smiling. He patted her shoulder with encouragement and allowed Eris to say her farewells to the young couple before heading off with Abel. Ion and Esther were now left alone, which felt extremely awkward, especially since they hadn't talked for the past couple of hours after the little fight they had.

"Nice night isn't it?" Esther said, wanting to break the silence.

"Yes, it is." Ion answered simply.

"Should be good for the fireworks display."

"I'm sure it will."

There was silence again. Esther fidgeted a bit with the present in her hands, finding it so hard to say what she had weighing on her mind. She told herself earlier that she would be honest and share her feelings with Ion but right now, she felt he was still upset with her. Looking at him, Ion had his head turned so his attention was drawn towards something else. His soft creamy skin glowed against the colourful lights of the carnival while his eyes gleamed that beautiful shade of red. He was one of a kind, she knew she would never find anyone else like him in an entire life time, which was why she needed to build up her courage and be strong. She was the Queen of Albion, she was meant to have confidence yet when she was in the presence of Ion, that confidence would shatter into a million pieces and leave her uncertain and vulnerable.

"I-Ion," Esther stuttered, causing Ion to turn and look at her calmly. She opened her mouth to speak but found she lost whatever she was going to say. 'Damnit, not again! Stop leaving me speechless!' Esther cursed in her head as she felt herself break into a sweat. Why did Ion have to be born so beautiful? She felt Ion would lose his patience with her if she didn't get to the point but as she continued looking into his eyes, he continued standing there, waiting patiently for her to tell him whatever it was which was on her mind. For this, Esther was internally grateful. Again it was one of those qualities which she loved about him so much.

"D-Do you um, want to ride the Ferris Wheel?"

Ion blinked in confusion while Esther felt like digging a hole and burying herself. She was supposed to ask if he wanted to go back to her tent, that way they would have privacy to talk. But the idea of being completely alone with him seemed to worry her to no end. Not that she worried about what he may do to her, but finding she'd be in the presence of him and no one else, she felt she'd lose her nerve and never tell him how she truly felt.

None the less, the Count simply nodded and forced a small smile to grace his lips, "Sure…" He gave her an unenthusiastic reply as he turned towards the ride and started walking. Esther followed after him, feeling a little disappointed that he hadn't offered to take her hand or walk beside her. Then again, it was a result of her pushing him away earlier which made him this way. The guilt in her earlier actions started to weigh on her shoulders more, realising now how much she really appreciated his fondness of her.

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"Oh, Your Majesty!" People from the queue to the Ferris Wheel turned to look at her, "Please go ahead of us, we don't mind."

"W-What?" Esther was astonished, just because she was Queen didn't mean she couldn't line up and wait for her turn like everyone else.

"Your Highness," the man running the Ferris Wheel gestured to the empty cabin which had just stopped at the ground. He opened the door and patiently waited without another word. Esther approached him and noticed his long wavy blonde hair and AX uniform which Abel and Leon wore, "Oh! Father Watteau! I hadn't seen you all day! Thank you so much for your assistance!" Esther bowed her head while Hugue, the man known as Sword Dancer simply nodded his head in acknowledgement.

"Esther, we better not keep everyone waiting," Ion mentioned as he rested his hand on her shoulder. Esther felt the warmth of his hand sink through the material of her dress and felt as though he was touching her bare skin. His gentle touch sent a warm sensation through her body which made her light on her knees. Ion quickly removed his hand when he noticed her tense slightly. He had touched her without thinking, it was like a natural gesture to him but he had to remember that Esther may not feel the same way. It's how he had pushed her away in the first place so he needed to watch how he behaved around her.

Hugue watched the uneasiness between the two and sighed, feeling they were going to take forever to enter the cabin. "Allow me," Sword Dancer raised his hand out to Esther where he then helped her to the cabin. These actions startled Esther somewhat as Hugue always seemed like the cold, silent type who kept to himself most of the time. Still, she accepted his help and nodded her thanks as she entered the cabin.

Once inside, Ion went to help himself in but was stopped for a moment when Hugue grabbed his arm, "Have no fear, just be direct and honest or else you'll get no where." Hugue let him go and simply waited until Ion was settled inside. Ion looked at him with confusion, as he wasn't expecting any love counselling from a man he hadn't met before but regardless, he nodded his thanks and got inside the cabin. After closing the door, Hugue started the ride again as he allowed the wheel to turn slowly, allowing Esther's and Ion's cabin to rise above the ground.

'Direct and honest huh? Easy for you to say.' Ion mused in his head as he stared out the window. 'I tried that in the beginning but it did nothing but make things worse.'

Esther stared down at her lap where her present for Ion rested. She stared at the box and the pretty ribbon she used to decorate it. She wanted to give it to him, yet she felt now wasn't the best time. She wanted to be sure he was in high spirits before handing it over. Right now though, she could see he had a lot on his mind, as did she.

"The view is nice," Ion commented as he noticed the festival engulfed with colourful lights.

"Yes it is." Esther nodded with agreement, "You don't really appreciate how great it looks until you see it high up in the sky. The Ferris Wheel is best used at night."

"I agree," Ion smiled slightly.

There was silence between them again. Both Ion and Esther had hoped to start a conversation but neither seemed willing. The silence went on as the ride continued its steady course around the wheel until it stopped just as they reached the highest peak of the ride. If one of them didn't try resolving this matter soon, the ride would end before they know it then they would be back at square one. They couldn't leave things as they currently were; they needed to fix things now.

"Esther-"

"Ion-"

They both called to each other at the same time. Both Ion and Esther turned their gazes away from the window so they could look at each other. But as they each waited for the other to continue, they noticed the other was waiting for them to start.

"You can go first if you like," Ion said.

"Oh no, you can," Esther urged.

"No, be my guest."

"Oh but I insist."

"No really, I don't mind."

"I don't mind either."

"Esther," Ion stared at her, "Tell me, what were you going to say?"

She shook her head, "I forgot."

"You forgot?"

"Yes I did."

"Liar."

"I'm not lying."

"You're still lying."

"I'm not!" Esther was starting to get irritated. She hadn't really forgotten, but she was so eager to hear what Ion had to say that she refused to say anything more. She would be willing to argue with him all night if it meant he'd finally submit and speak his mind first.

"Don't be so stubborn," Ion rolled his eyes, "Otherwise I will never tell you what was on my mind."

"Now YOU are lying!" Esther turned the tables on him now, although Ion couldn't help but chuckle slightly in response. He rubbed a hand through his blonde hair and smiled, "True, but at least I can admit it, unlike a certain stubborn Queen I know."

Esther kicked his shin, not hard but just enough to startle him. "Watch your mouth; you shouldn't speak that way to someone of my status!" Esther wasn't offended, but she wasn't going to let him get away with such a remark.

Ion wanted to laugh at her actions, especially her words but came back with an easy enough come back, "Excuse me? Is this coming from that same girl who bad mouthed me to my face those five years ago when we first met? As I recall, you were but a mere common girl while I was, and still currently am, of noble status. Nothing about you has changed but that crown you wear on your head."

Esther's eyebrow twitched with annoyance but she didn't try fighting him with another comeback. Instead, she tried sitting there as though unaffected by his words. If she didn't show weakness, it would mean his words meant nothing. It was what she was trying to go for but it didn't work as Ion could read her like a book.

"Aww, did I strike a nerve?" Ion continued to tease.

"No, I'm fine," Esther breathed calmly.

"You can hit me again if you want," Ion smirked.

"You'd like it too much if I did."

"So would you."

Esther looked at him and was about to open her mouth in protest but stopped when her eyes met his. Ion's eyes were always beautiful, no matter what angle you looked at them in, but at night, they gave off a completely different aura. The lights from the festival glistened across his crystal eyes like jewels. While his eyes radiated a beautiful red during the day, his eyes seemed more opalesce at night.

"Is something wrong?" Ion asked, noticing she was staring.

"No," Esther answered with a dreamy sigh, "I was just, staring at your eyes. They're so, beautiful."

"Oh?" Ion cleared his throat a bit, feeling somewhat embarrassed by that remark as he didn't expect Esther to be so forward. But since she was, he thought he'd be as well. "You also have beautiful eyes Esther." Ion started staring deeply into hers while Esther blinked with confusion. He smiled at her reaction and leaned forward so he could see into her eyes more clearly, "I have no need to tilt my head up to see the stars when I can see them clearly in your eyes." Esther blushed, unable to hide how touched she was by his words.

Her heart started to race as she watched Ion bring his hand towards her. She felt his fingers slide across her cheek as he traced over her jaw line before cupping her chin in his hand. Esther's eyes closed for a moment as she savoured the touch of his warm skin against her own. She would love more than anything to have Ion lean in where she could smell his cologne, to be drawn into his arms, to feel his body heat against her own, to feel his soft velvet lips press against her own and send her into a state of ecstasy. But none of this happened.

Instead, Ion drew his hand back and gave a little sigh, seeming upset about something. Esther's eyes fluttered open as she looked at him with concern, "Ion…?"

"I was going to apologise to you," Ion admitted as he looked out the window, not having the courage to look her in the eye as he said this, "All day, after the fight, I felt I was in the wrong and I wanted to make up for what I had done. My last intention was to upset you, to hurt you; I didn't want any of that." He closed his eyes then, "However, looking at you now, I feel at a loss for words. My heart aches for you Esther; I feel I didn't do anything but tell you the truth. I can't take back my words or else I'd be betraying my own feelings. The only thing I can apologise for was causing this mess between us and ruining your day."

Ion reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a little package which was gift wrapped and tied on its top with a blue ribbon. He opened his eyes and looked at it for a moment, as though wondering if he should give it to her or not but eventually turned to look at her again. "It's not your fault that you don't feel the same way about me. I can't be upset with you for that, it's not fair on you." Ion couldn't help but smile, "I guess my stubbornness is one thing that hasn't changed in five years." His smile however didn't seem to reach his eyes. He was still upset about earlier which made Esther's heart ache. She opened her mouth to speak but was silenced when Ion continued, "Being friends is fine with me. I don't want what happened earlier to end things between us. I know I said I wanted things my way but, I don't think I could go through life without being with you."

Ion held out his gift to her, "It isn't much, but I did learn something from today." Esther reached out for his present and brought it on top of the gift she had for Ion. She examined it for a moment, wondering what was inside before she went to open it. She started undoing the bow first, allowing the long piece of fabric to fall to the ground as she then opened the wrapper to peer inside.

"I know it probably seems strange," Ion said, feeling embarrassed by the gift, "It's not something I would normally give you, I could give you something better but-"

"It's me," Esther interrupted as she lifted the gift out of the wrapping to get a closer look. It was an egg, an egg which had been painted with a face and red hair similar to hers. The painting was done very well considering the shape of the object. The face had large but cute blue eyes, a small nose and a sweet smile. The hair was styled so the bangs were parted and rested by the each side of its face with the hair shorter at the back. Just like hers.

"You explained to me that egg painting was part of Easter and that eggs symbolised eternity." He took a deep breath, "You are my eternity, which is what this egg stands for."

"It's so cute," Esther smiled happily as she looked up at him, "Thank you, I love it." Ion simply nodded and looked out the window again. This ride seemed to go on forever. He didn't mind being in the company with Esther, but being unable to act on his emotions really took its toll on him. Seeing her dressed like a Queen again took his breath away whenever he looked at her. He wanted to tell her how beautiful she looked but had no courage to do so, only stare with amazement. He wanted to hold her hand, hug her, caress through her hair, kiss her, he wanted to do so much but couldn't do a thing but stare at her, even now in this cabin. It was like someone's idea of a poor joke, like leaving candy on the table with a child nearby and telling them not to touch it.

While Ion stared out the window, Esther continued staring at her egg happily. She was so happy to receive such a nice gift from Ion. Of course it may just be an egg to others, but Ion had handmade something for her with all his feelings going into its creation. Money couldn't buy anything as precious as this, and it was hers, from Ion, from the one she loved.

"You are also my eternity Ion," Esther said which drew his attention. Esther closed her eyes, continuing to smile as she built up her courage to say the words she had wanted to tell him for a very long time. "Ion, I love you. I have always loved you, and I'll never stop loving you…" There was silence, a long awkward silence which made Esther squirm in her seat. Why didn't Ion say anything? Was it too late? Was he upset with her now for not saying something sooner? She could hear nothing but the carnival music outside and the loud drumming of her heart.

Esther began to panic, thinking Ion may be angry with her. "I-I'm sorry I didn't say this sooner! I wanted to, really I did but something in me held back. I don't know what it was, I guess I was worried th-" Before Esther could continue, Esther felt a finger touch her lips ever so softly. Her eyes fluttered open slowly as she noticed Ion smiling brightly at her. She hadn't seen him smile like this since the moment she saw him this morning at her palace. His smile shone through his eyes, reflecting the happiness and love which he was feeling right now, and it was all because of her.

"Esther..." Ion sighed her name with a heavenly tone as her traced her bottom lip for a moment before bringing his hand by the side of her face. He leaned in towards her, causing Esther's heart to skip a beat as she felt his lips capture her own into a soft love-felt kiss. Electricity shot through Esther's body from head to toe while her body began to feel like jelly. Her mouth parted slightly as Esther moaned softly with delight. Finally, finally she was able to express her feelings for Ion and now she got the pleasure of being able to kiss him again, something which she had longed for since that moment in the forest.

It wasn't long until their soft tender kiss grew more fierce with burning passion and desire. Ion couldn't control himself; he had been waiting so long for this moment, so long that he almost felt it was a dream. The only thing confirming it wasn't was the feel of Esther's moist lips and the heat radiating from her body. His hand rested behind her head as he held her close, not giving her any opportunity to turn away. His tongue suddenly found its way into her mouth which caught Esther by surprise, sending goose bumps over her skin while waves of pleasure continued to overwhelm her.

Esther was thankful that Ion was holding her, as she felt she'd faint if he let her go. She couldn't get enough of the taste of him, or the feel of him. She wanted this moment to last forever, feeling quite content to just stay here like this for all time. Unfortunately for her though, her body couldn't comply with her wishes. She started to feel light headed as her body longed for air. Ion noticed this and slowly wound down the kiss before parting his lips from hers. Esther gave out a loud gasp as she filled her lungs with air again. Ion couldn't help but chuckle to himself as he sat comfortably beside her. Esther didn't remember seeing him move from his seat, although he might have done so while they were kissing.

"Sorry, I might have over done it a bit. Are you okay?" Ion asked gently as he caressed through her silky red hair.

"Y-Yes I'm fine," Esther smiled sheepishly.

Ion smiled back as he used his free hand to clasp one of her own, "Let me say this formally, as you honoured me moments ago. I love you as well, and I will forever love you." He kissed the back of her hand softly which sent chills down Esther's spine. He looked at her and leaned in towards her, wanting to kiss her again but Esther brought her free hand up and pressed her index finger to his lips. Ion looked at her with puppy dog eyes, pleading with her not to be so cruel but Esther wasn't going to fall for that, "I have something I want to give you first." The Young Queen showed her present to the Count and handed it to him smiling.

"You didn't have to get me anything," Ion said as he looked over it, "I hope it wasn't too much trouble."

Esther shook her head, "Of course not. It's never any trouble to get a gift for the person I care most about." Ion blushed slightly while Esther giggled a bit. He started un-wrapping the gift while Esther patiently waited. Once Ion opened the box and looked inside, he stared down at it completely stunned and confused. "E-Esther…" Ion stuttered as his face started going red, "W-What, what is…"

"What's wrong?" Esther asked as he tilted her head to the side.

Ion pulled out the object from the box, wanting to get a closer look to make sure he wasn't seeing things. But there was nothing wrong with his eyes, he knew what he saw and had no idea what Esther's intentions were with it. For some unknown reason, Esther had given him handcuffs, handcuffs which had bunny heads etched onto the wrist locks. Ion started getting strange thoughts with the object which made him turn his face away uncomfortably.

"Ion?" Esther tugged at his sleeve to get his attention, "The handcuffs mean unity. They represent you and me and the unbreakable bond we have. I never want to be apart from you, and these handcuffs represent that." Ion listened to her every word but found it very hard to believe. He was actually surprised he didn't find a whip or some type of bondage outfit in there. "But Esther, you gave me handcuffs."

"Yes…"

"You do realise what this implies right?"

"What do you mean?" Esther asked with curiosity.

"…" Ion looked at her, noticing she had absolutely no idea what he was getting at, "Okay, who gave you this idea?"

"Leon and Father Nightroad helped me."

". . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ." Ion's teeth gritted together as he pictured punching those two idiots. How could they think of pulling a prank like this on them, especially after they had a fight of all things? It annoyed him that they would take advantage on Esther's innocence like that. The next time he saw them, he was going to give them a piece of his mind. Just then, a loud bang could be heard which brought Ion out of his thoughts.

"Ion!" Esther smiled excitedly as she pointed out the window, "Look outside!"

Ion looked out where she was pointing and stared in awe at the fireworks going off across the sky. Esther stared at them as well and rested her head on Ion's shoulder. Ion looked down at her for a moment and smiled as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders. Finally, they were finally together.

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Some time later, when Ion had returned to the Empire, Mirka was patiently waiting for him by a carriage which was to take him to Sarai Castle where the Empress was waiting for him. Ion smiled at his grandmother as he approached her, "I didn't keep you waiting long did I?"

"Not at all," Mirka smiled as they both entered the carriage together.

Once the carriage started and they were on their way, Mirka looked to her grandson smiling, "So, how was it?"

"Definitely an Easter to remember," Ion said as he looked at her, "I'll be sure to tell you and the Empress all about it."

"Good," Mirka nodded as she rested her hand on his shoulder, "What about the 'other' thing?"

"The 'other' thing," Ion closed his eyes thoughtfully and shook his head, "Not yet, I don't want to rush things."

"I see, well don't wait too long." Mirka said as she nodded with understanding. She turned to look out the window then as she watched the scenery passing by. She wanted to ask about his trip but didn't want him repeating himself when he'd be explaining the same thing to the Empress in a little while. Ion watched as she turned to the window and thought he'd look out of his to pass the time.

He had missed home, he was happy to be back as he didn't return home the day after Easter like he intended. He couldn't, he couldn't leave Esther so soon, not after they were finally together. Still, as he started thinking about her, his mind began to wonder about that 'other' matter which he didn't get the chance to ask Esther about. The thought got him reaching into his pocket for a particular item. Once he pulled it out, he stared down at what appeared to be a small dark blue velvet box. He traced his fingers over the soft surface before bringing it to his lips. 'It will be soon,' he thought to himself, 'Perhaps, next Easter…' He sealed his promise with a kiss as he pocketed the sacred object.

* * *

**Author's Note:** There we go, the end to the second Easter series instalment. Yay! I hope everyone has enjoyed it so far, if anyone has been reading it that is. It's strange how I got several reviews for the first one and yet no one has read this one. Or at least, as far as I'm aware no one seems to be reading it. Normally I don't beg for reviews but if no one is reviewing, it gives me less reason to update if I find no one is reading. But I have to say; personally I've enjoyed writing this series, even if it has taken me forever to update. Sorry about that. I get distracted way too easily, and finding the time to write without being disturbed is very hard. But anyway, there could be a third one. Maybe, but then again, maybe not XP

I shall see you all around, on My Saviour hopefully. I really need to get around to updating that. I'm so lazy (sighs). Or I'll see you on another series I may happen to start (rolls eyes). Who knows? But I can guarantee this won't be the end lol. See you all around :-)


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